"Since the day he arrived at the Department of Justice in February 2005, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has 'shattered' the department's tradition of independence and politicized its operation more than any other attorney general in more than 30 years.
So says Daniel Metcalfe, a senior attorney at the department who retired in January, before the current controversy over the firing of U.S. Attorneys erupted. He views the episode as an 'awful embarrassment' that has only worsened already-low morale at the department, especially among career attorneys."
Good Law.com interview at
Justice Department's Independence 'Shattered,' Says Former DOJ Attorney
Saturday, April 14, 2007
U.S. Keeps 5 Iranian Hostages
The Washington Post report U.S. Decides Against Freeing 5 Iranian Agents.
They're Not Incompetent, They're Evil
Daily Kos writes We're Not Evil, We're Incompetent! "Now that the shelter of a rubber stamp congress has been removed, and the pale, wriggling forms of the Bush administration have been hauled up into the light of day, the 'good team' is anxious to prove one thing to the American public: they're massively, unbelievably stupid. Really. That's not my opinion, that's what they want you to believe."
Honestly, I don't buy it. I think they are evil and are betting the American public is stupid to buy this. I Hope they're not right. I heard Pelosi interviewed again this morning on her trip. The questions (on NBC) were all administration (apparently Cheney's!) talking points. They still completely control the message. Pelosi did a very very good job at answering and not accepting the premises.
Now can someone please indict someone on obstruction of justice charges for redacting emails. The emails we've seen are starting to have actual evidence. TPM has a lot on this, I'll just point out a couple of interest. It seems the US Attorney's immigration record was an afterthought after someone realized 3 were from border states. It seem attorneys were rated on whether they were members of the Federalist Society.
Honestly, I don't buy it. I think they are evil and are betting the American public is stupid to buy this. I Hope they're not right. I heard Pelosi interviewed again this morning on her trip. The questions (on NBC) were all administration (apparently Cheney's!) talking points. They still completely control the message. Pelosi did a very very good job at answering and not accepting the premises.
Now can someone please indict someone on obstruction of justice charges for redacting emails. The emails we've seen are starting to have actual evidence. TPM has a lot on this, I'll just point out a couple of interest. It seems the US Attorney's immigration record was an afterthought after someone realized 3 were from border states. It seem attorneys were rated on whether they were members of the Federalist Society.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Is the FDA Political? Nah...
"Oh, this is rich: The Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America are suing the FDA over the agency's approval of Plan B emergency contraception for over-the-counter sale. Their complaint? The FDA's decision was politically motivated."
Alanis Morissette's My Humps Parody
This is pretty amusing. Alanis Morissette's video parody of Black Eyed Peas "My Humps":
Wolfowitz Corrupt While Fixing World Bank Corruption
I won't pretend to understand the World Bank.
Paul Wolfowitz, one of the architects of the Iraq War, is now President of the World Bank. It seems his girlfriend, Shaha Riza worked there and they have a policy not allowing romantically linked people working for each other. So she moved to the US State Department (working with Dick Cheney's daughter) but is still technically employed by the World Bank and Wolfowitz ensured that she got large raises the violated the banks policies. Her salary went from $132,660 to $193,590.
The Financial Times reports that he might lose his job over this. Remember that Wolfowitz went to the World Bank and promised to help end corruption there and this was one of his first actions. Wolfowitz has apologized for his actions but Think Progress reports that his apology was lame.
Steven Pearlstein in the Washington Post points out: "It would be wonderful if the indignation of the bank's staff and directors derived from a deeply felt sense of moral outrage at such an unwarranted expenditure by an institution designed to alleviate world poverty. But that's unlikely. These are, after all, among the highest-paid civil servants in the world. There are probably 200 of them who, like Riza, are paid more than Rice -- but unlike Rice pay no taxes on their salaries. Most have five to six weeks of paid vacation each year and generous health insurance. Until cutbacks in 1999, the gravy train was even more scandalous."
Paul Wolfowitz, one of the architects of the Iraq War, is now President of the World Bank. It seems his girlfriend, Shaha Riza worked there and they have a policy not allowing romantically linked people working for each other. So she moved to the US State Department (working with Dick Cheney's daughter) but is still technically employed by the World Bank and Wolfowitz ensured that she got large raises the violated the banks policies. Her salary went from $132,660 to $193,590.
The Financial Times reports that he might lose his job over this. Remember that Wolfowitz went to the World Bank and promised to help end corruption there and this was one of his first actions. Wolfowitz has apologized for his actions but Think Progress reports that his apology was lame.
Steven Pearlstein in the Washington Post points out: "It would be wonderful if the indignation of the bank's staff and directors derived from a deeply felt sense of moral outrage at such an unwarranted expenditure by an institution designed to alleviate world poverty. But that's unlikely. These are, after all, among the highest-paid civil servants in the world. There are probably 200 of them who, like Riza, are paid more than Rice -- but unlike Rice pay no taxes on their salaries. Most have five to six weeks of paid vacation each year and generous health insurance. Until cutbacks in 1999, the gravy train was even more scandalous."
Pulitzer Prize Winner in U.S. Custody Without Charges for One Year by Scott Horton (Harper's Magazine)
Scott Horton in Harper's writes Pulitzer Prize-winning Photojournalist Completes One Year in U.S. Military Custody in Iraq
"A Pulitzer Prize-winning war photographer is seized by U.S. Forces and locked up for one year. The U.S. refuses to bring any charges. When American military spokesmen suggest their 'suspicions' in interviews with the media, virtually all of them are exposed as false within a matter of weeks. No matter. He is still held."
I wrote about this in November when it was just 7 months in prison. I am just completely disgusted by this. Andrew Sullivan comments "And we know Cheney's official response to those of us who dissent. We can go fuck ourselves."
"A Pulitzer Prize-winning war photographer is seized by U.S. Forces and locked up for one year. The U.S. refuses to bring any charges. When American military spokesmen suggest their 'suspicions' in interviews with the media, virtually all of them are exposed as false within a matter of weeks. No matter. He is still held."
I wrote about this in November when it was just 7 months in prison. I am just completely disgusted by this. Andrew Sullivan comments "And we know Cheney's official response to those of us who dissent. We can go fuck ourselves."
Good Stuff on White House Emails
TPM writes Rove Emails Missing from RNC Server. Ok, it seems the RNC had a policy of deleting email after 30 days. However, starting in August 2004 due to Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation into Plamegate they retained all the email. Except at first, for Karl Rove's email. That wasn't archived until 2005 (and his ability to delete his email was removed). So Rove's email from around the election is missing, hmmmm.
Further it seems that White House Counsel Fred Fielding has said he won't turn over these emails. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Chairman of the House Judiciary committee said further: "As I stated in my earlier letter to the Republican National Committee today, the Judiciary Committee intends to obtain the relevant emails directly from the RNC...The White House position seems to be that executive privilege not only applies in the Oval Office, but to the RNC as well. There is absolutely no basis in law or fact for such a claim."
Further it seems that White House Counsel Fred Fielding has said he won't turn over these emails. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Chairman of the House Judiciary committee said further: "As I stated in my earlier letter to the Republican National Committee today, the Judiciary Committee intends to obtain the relevant emails directly from the RNC...The White House position seems to be that executive privilege not only applies in the Oval Office, but to the RNC as well. There is absolutely no basis in law or fact for such a claim."
Thursday, April 12, 2007
White House Lost 5,000,000 Emails
CREW releases new report -- Without a Trace: The Missing White House Emails and the Violations of the Presidential Records Act .
"In a startling new revelation, CREW has also learned through two confidential sources that the Executive Office of the President (EOP) has lost over five million emails generated between March 2003 and October 2005. The White House counsel’s office was advised of these problems in 2005 and CREW has been told that the White House was given a plan of action to recover these emails, but to date nothing has been done to rectify this significant loss of records."
"In a startling new revelation, CREW has also learned through two confidential sources that the Executive Office of the President (EOP) has lost over five million emails generated between March 2003 and October 2005. The White House counsel’s office was advised of these problems in 2005 and CREW has been told that the White House was given a plan of action to recover these emails, but to date nothing has been done to rectify this significant loss of records."
More on White House Email Loss
Think Progress reports on Dana Perino's lies about White House email. On March 27th she said the email was archived, it turns out it wasn't. She also said only a "handful" of staffers used RNC accounts, it turns out it was 22 currently with about 50 doing so since 2001. Now I'm sure we'll get into an argument about how many are in a "handful".
Glenn Greenwald in The Bush administration's terrible luck with finding documents. He lists several passed occasions where they've had difficulty including: RNC emails, the gap in Purgegate emails, video of Padilla's interrogation, torture memos between the FBI and CIA, 2,000 pages of a classified report on Abu Ghraib, and Bush's Air National Guard records. "I suppose the defense for Bush followers who want to claim that all of this is completely innocent is 'extreme ineptitude.'"
Glenn Greenwald in The Bush administration's terrible luck with finding documents. He lists several passed occasions where they've had difficulty including: RNC emails, the gap in Purgegate emails, video of Padilla's interrogation, torture memos between the FBI and CIA, 2,000 pages of a classified report on Abu Ghraib, and Bush's Air National Guard records. "I suppose the defense for Bush followers who want to claim that all of this is completely innocent is 'extreme ineptitude.'"
Novak Fabricates ‘Confusion’ Over Wilson’s CIA Status
Think Progress reports Novak Fabricates ‘Confusion’ Over Wilson’s CIA Status. I'm sick of the right getting away with this crap. It's completely untrue, has been proven several times, and still they spread FUD. The next time I see some reporter ask a question and get this as a response and not jump down their throat for lying I'm going ballistic.
Diabetics cured by stem-cell treatment Diabetics Cured By Stem-Cell Treatment
The London Times reports Diabetics cured by stem-cell treatment "Diabetics using stem-cell therapy have been able to stop taking insulin injections for the first time, after their bodies started to produce the hormone naturally again." 13 of 15 subjects "do not need daily insulin injections up to three years after stopping their treatment regimes."
The treatment used their own stem cells so these are adult stem cells. Nevertheless, this coincides with the New York Times report: "The Senate on Wednesday passed a bipartisan measure that eases limits on the federal financing of embryonic stem cell research, setting up another confrontation over the issue with President Bush."
"After the Senate vote, Mr. Bush repeated his vow to veto the bill, saying it “crosses a moral line that I and many others find troubling.” The measure is nearly identical to one he rejected last year, the only time he has used his legislative veto power during his administration."
The treatment used their own stem cells so these are adult stem cells. Nevertheless, this coincides with the New York Times report: "The Senate on Wednesday passed a bipartisan measure that eases limits on the federal financing of embryonic stem cell research, setting up another confrontation over the issue with President Bush."
"After the Senate vote, Mr. Bush repeated his vow to veto the bill, saying it “crosses a moral line that I and many others find troubling.” The measure is nearly identical to one he rejected last year, the only time he has used his legislative veto power during his administration."
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
White House Lost RNC Emails
Think Progress follows some reports that the White House Claims It Lost RNC Emails . This just got Watergate bad.
New Mac Ads
Apple has posted two new ads, Flashback and Computer Cart and I think they're pretty funny.
Saturday: National Day of Climate Action
Step It Up 2007: "This April 14th, tens of thousands of Americans will gather all across the country at meaningful, iconic places to call for action on climate change. We will hike, bike, climb, walk, swim, kayak, canoe, or simply sit or stand with banners of our call to action: Step It Up Congres! Cut Carbon 80% by 2050"
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Feith Responds To Evidence That He Manipulated Iraq Intel
Think Progress reports » Doug Feith Responds With ‘Naked Incoherence’ To Evidence That He Manipulated Iraq Intel.
Feith was the Undersecretary of Defense and had an office in the DoD that was charged with critiquing the CIA's intel about Iraq. Though suspicions are that he was tasked with creating his own intel that there were connections.
Last week Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) released a declassified version of the Defense Department's Inspector General's report into this.
Since then Feith responded on his own web site with a series of bullet point that make Tufte's point that powerpoint is evil. He praises that the report found he did nothing unlawful or unauthorized but faults them for finding his actions "inappropirate"; then he accuses Levin of cherry picking from the report.
You can get the 121 page report here. It's annoying to read because of the acronyms and repetition but here's the complete paragraph from the executive summary labelled "Results":
"The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy devloped, produced, and then disseminated alternative intelligence assessments on the Iraq and al-Qaida relationship, which included some conclusions that were inconsistent with the consensus of the Intelligence Community, to senior decision-makers. While such actions were not illegal or unauthorized, the actions were, in our opinion, inappropriate given that the intelligence assessments were intelligence products and did not clearly show the variance with the consesus of the Intelligence Community. This condition occurred because of an expanded role and mission of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from policy formulation to alternative intelligence analysis and dissemination. As a result, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for Policy did not provide "the most accurate analysis of intelligence" to senior decision-makers."
I'll stick with Think Progress on this one.
Feith was the Undersecretary of Defense and had an office in the DoD that was charged with critiquing the CIA's intel about Iraq. Though suspicions are that he was tasked with creating his own intel that there were connections.
Last week Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) released a declassified version of the Defense Department's Inspector General's report into this.
Since then Feith responded on his own web site with a series of bullet point that make Tufte's point that powerpoint is evil. He praises that the report found he did nothing unlawful or unauthorized but faults them for finding his actions "inappropirate"; then he accuses Levin of cherry picking from the report.
You can get the 121 page report here. It's annoying to read because of the acronyms and repetition but here's the complete paragraph from the executive summary labelled "Results":
"The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy devloped, produced, and then disseminated alternative intelligence assessments on the Iraq and al-Qaida relationship, which included some conclusions that were inconsistent with the consensus of the Intelligence Community, to senior decision-makers. While such actions were not illegal or unauthorized, the actions were, in our opinion, inappropriate given that the intelligence assessments were intelligence products and did not clearly show the variance with the consesus of the Intelligence Community. This condition occurred because of an expanded role and mission of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from policy formulation to alternative intelligence analysis and dissemination. As a result, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for Policy did not provide "the most accurate analysis of intelligence" to senior decision-makers."
I'll stick with Think Progress on this one.
The Kaye Effect
Interesting video of The Kaye Effect that happens when you pour shampoo in a thin stream from 20cm (and other times).
The Daily Dish: Cognitive Dissonance Watch
Andrew Sullivan writes in Cognitive Dissonance Watch: "It's especially telling since we dismiss the statements of the captive British soldiers as the fruit of coercion even though their treatment was like a bed and breakfast compared to what has taken place at Abu Graib, Camp Cropper, Bagram or Gitmo. Why are we unable to make the same assumptions about other coerced testimony?"
In all honesty, this is the first thing I thought of when the British soldiers explained their captivity, and I've heard nothing about this in the media.
In all honesty, this is the first thing I thought of when the British soldiers explained their captivity, and I've heard nothing about this in the media.
Halliburton Pulls Out of Iran?
I knew Halliburton was moving to Dubai but I didn't know they were still in Iran. The Huffington Post reports Halliburton Pulls Out of Iran: But.... There are a number of points but here's my favorite:
"Gee, what took them so F#%!+$g long? I mean, Halliburton has been criticized since long before 9/11 for doing business in Iran. Hell, when he was CEO Cheney defended the company's actions and lobbied against the sanctions"
"What we do with respect to Iran and Libya is done through foreign subsidiaries, totally in compliance with US law," Cheney told ABC Television's Sam Donaldson. When Donaldson suggested, "it's a way around US law," Cheney replied: "No, no, it's provided for us specifically with respect to Iran and Libya."If you're a big multinational that's able to incorporate around the world, you don't have to worry. -Ref: This Week, ABC News, July 30, 2000.
That led me to this list of Cheney flip-flops or from what I can see, most of them can be called lies. I didn't think I could like the man less.
Meanwhile, the situation with Iran just gets worse.
"Gee, what took them so F#%!+$g long? I mean, Halliburton has been criticized since long before 9/11 for doing business in Iran. Hell, when he was CEO Cheney defended the company's actions and lobbied against the sanctions"
"What we do with respect to Iran and Libya is done through foreign subsidiaries, totally in compliance with US law," Cheney told ABC Television's Sam Donaldson. When Donaldson suggested, "it's a way around US law," Cheney replied: "No, no, it's provided for us specifically with respect to Iran and Libya."If you're a big multinational that's able to incorporate around the world, you don't have to worry. -Ref: This Week, ABC News, July 30, 2000.
That led me to this list of Cheney flip-flops or from what I can see, most of them can be called lies. I didn't think I could like the man less.
Meanwhile, the situation with Iran just gets worse.
The Democratic Response to Bush
I agree with the Daily Kos in The Democratic Response to Bush. They have many more details but the heart of the matter is:
"Until Bush is ready to negotiate, they should continue to refuse to meet with him. There's no need to rush the conference supplemental funding bill. Let him lie on the floor kicking his feet and holding his breath until he turns blue. It's time the Boy King realizes he doesn't get to call all of the shots on this one."
It's worth a read.
"Until Bush is ready to negotiate, they should continue to refuse to meet with him. There's no need to rush the conference supplemental funding bill. Let him lie on the floor kicking his feet and holding his breath until he turns blue. It's time the Boy King realizes he doesn't get to call all of the shots on this one."
It's worth a read.
House Judiciary Committee Subpoenas Gonzales for Documents
The Washington Post reports House Panel Subpoenas Gonzales for Documents "The House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today seeking hundreds of pages of new or uncensored records related to the firings of eight U.S. attorneys last year, officials said."
They are supposed to turn over the documents by Monday at 2pm. Gonzales testifies two days later.
"Wisconsin's two Democratic senators, Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, joined others in demanding records and other information about a disputed federal public corruption prosecution in that state, according to a letter to Gonzales."
All this while the funding bill escalates. Fun fun fun.
They are supposed to turn over the documents by Monday at 2pm. Gonzales testifies two days later.
"Wisconsin's two Democratic senators, Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, joined others in demanding records and other information about a disputed federal public corruption prosecution in that state, according to a letter to Gonzales."
All this while the funding bill escalates. Fun fun fun.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Gonzales Craming, Not Ready Yet
Newsweek reports Gonzales Crams for a Senate Grilling. It describes his intensive prep sessions where "Gonzales kept contradicting himself and 'getting his timeline confused'".
Kevin Drum comments that "If Gonzales was planning to simply tell the truth, he wouldn't 'keep contradicting himself' in practice sessions and he wouldn't need to bring his schedule to a standstill in order to figure out what he's planning to say." I mostly agree with Drum but note he did leave out some of the mitigating circumstances:
"Top DOJ lawyers have decreed he can't talk about the U.S. attorney firings with Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty and his staff, who are key witnesses in an internal Justice inquiry into whether DOJ officials misled Congress. (Any consultation could be viewed as an attempt to "coordinate" their stories.) With his chief of staff, D. Kyle Sampson, forced to resign, Gonzales has no trusted aide who both knows the facts about the firings and has political skills."
Though you'd think, this is one reason that most organizations keep records about what they do.
Kevin Drum comments that "If Gonzales was planning to simply tell the truth, he wouldn't 'keep contradicting himself' in practice sessions and he wouldn't need to bring his schedule to a standstill in order to figure out what he's planning to say." I mostly agree with Drum but note he did leave out some of the mitigating circumstances:
"Top DOJ lawyers have decreed he can't talk about the U.S. attorney firings with Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty and his staff, who are key witnesses in an internal Justice inquiry into whether DOJ officials misled Congress. (Any consultation could be viewed as an attempt to "coordinate" their stories.) With his chief of staff, D. Kyle Sampson, forced to resign, Gonzales has no trusted aide who both knows the facts about the firings and has political skills."
Though you'd think, this is one reason that most organizations keep records about what they do.
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